Travel Safety & Security Update November 2005.Avian flu avian flu: see influenza. fears overblown o·ver·blown v. Past participle of overblow. adj. 1. a. Done to excess; overdone: overblown decorations. b. , experts say. Experts say there is little proof that migratory wild birds will spread avian flu across the world and the chances of the birds infecting humans are quite slim. Still, highly publicized concerns about avian flu demonstrate how fear can inhibit defenses, Mick Farren Michael 'Mick' Farren (born 3 September 1943, in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire) is a UK Underground/counterculture radical and anarchist. He was lead singer with the Deviants. writes in a Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times Morning daily newspaper. Established in 1881, it was purchased and incorporated in 1884 by Harrison Gray Otis (1837–1917) under The Times-Mirror Co. (the hyphen was later dropped from the name). commentary. Farren believes "scare tactics For the political strategy, see Tactical politics Scare Tactics is a reality show on the Sci-Fi Channel which began airing April 2003. It last aired on January 1, 2006. It is produced by Hallock & Healey Entertainment. In Canada, it is broadcast on Razer. " may push the public to strategies that will not work. "To rely on, and even budget for, quarantine plans in a globalized world edges toward absurdity," ATA's May says no need to panic over avian flu: While measured preparation for a possible avian flu pandemic pandemic /pan·dem·ic/ (pan-dem´ik) 1. a widespread epidemic of a disease. 2. widely epidemic. pan·dem·ic adj. Epidemic over a wide geographic area. n. is a responsible course of action, travelers should use common sense when weighing the threat avian flu poses to air travel, Air Transport Association CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. James May For the British body snatcher, James May, see . James Daniel May (born January 16th 1963 in Bristol, England) is a television presenter and award-winning journalist. writes in this Aviation Daily commentary. "Neither the CDC See Control Data, century date change and Back Orifice. CDC - Control Data Corporation nor the World Health Organization has recommended that the public avoid traveling to any of the countries affected by the avian flu," May writes. Nov 29, 2005 FAA to remain "vigilant": The relative safety of air travel is a credit to the Federal Aviation Administration Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), component of the U.S. Department of Transportation that sets standards for the air-worthiness of all civilian aircraft, inspects and licenses them, and regulates civilian and military air traffic through its air traffic control and the manner in which it has changed its oversight practices to evolve with the airline industry, FAA Administrator Marion Blakey Marion Clifton Blakey (born March 26, 1948) was the 15th Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration. She was the second woman to hold the position, serving as a successor to Jane Garvey, the first woman to hold the Administrator title. writes in this USA TODAY USA Today National U.S. daily general-interest newspaper, the first of its kind. Launched in 1982 by Allen Neuharth, head of the Gannett newspaper chain, it reached a circulation of one million within a year and surpassed two million in the 1990s. commentary. "Nearly a decade ago, the FAA took bold steps to move away from a "checklist" approach toward a risk-based system that emphasizes quality assurance programs and self-audits," Blakey writes. Nov 29, 2005 FAA's Blakey asks for mediation in controller talks. Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Marion C. Blakey says contract talks with the union representing air traffic controllers are near an impasse. The union said the two sides are making progress, but Blakey has asked for mediation. The two sides are at odds over pay rates, among other things. Nov 29, 2005 CDC's proposal to change quarantine rules could affect carriers. Federal officials are proposing changes to quarantine rules that will expand the definition of reportable illnesses and require airlines to submit passenger lists to health officials. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), agency of the U.S. Public Health Service since 1973, with headquarters in Atlanta; it was established in 1946 as the Communicable Disease Center. said the plan could cost airlines hundreds of millions of dollars. The Air Transport Association agrees that current rules should be updated. "To what extent changes need to be made to existing practices will be done cooperatively with the CDC through this proposed rule making," the ATA (1) (AT Attachment) The specification for IDE drives. See IDE. (2) See analog telephone adapter. ATA - Advanced Technology Attachment said. Nov 23, 2005 Aircraft cabins won't make travelers ill, carriers say: It is unclear whether air travel contributes to the spread of respiratory illnesses, doctors say. Some doctors say sitting next to a sick person can cause a traveler to become ill, but airlines point out that aircraft cabins are not more dangerous than other crowded spaces. "There is nothing about aircraft cabin environment that makes it any easier to catch an illness from other people." said Katherine Andrus, the Air Transport Association's assistant general counsel. Nov 23, 2005 DHS DHS Department of Homeland Security (USA) DHS Department of Human Services DHS Department of Health Services DHS Demographic and Health Surveys DHS Dirhams (Morocco national currency) has not completed threat database. Department of Homeland Security Noun 1. Department of Homeland Security - the federal department that administers all matters relating to homeland security Homeland Security executive department - a federal department in the executive branch of the government of the United States officials do not know when they will finish assembling a national asset and threat database. The database will list potential terrorist targets. Some lawmakers say they are frustrated with the slow pace of the database's development. Nov 23, 2005 Authorities to adopt new safety measures safety measures, n.pl actions (e.g., use of glasses, face masks) taken to protect patients and office personnel from such known hazards as particles and aerosols from high-speed rotary instruments, mercury vapor, radiation exposure, anesthetic and at Boston's Logan. The Massachusetts Port Authority Massachusetts Port Authority, or Massport, is a port district in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It operates the airports, seaport, and Mystic River Bridge in Boston, Massachusetts and the surrounding areas. and the Federal Aviation Administration have agreed on changes to prevent runway incidents at Boston's Logan International Airport For the Logan airport in Billings, Montana, see . Logan International Airport (IATA: BOS, ICAO: KBOS, FAA LID: BOS) in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States (and partly in the Town of Winthrop, Massachusetts), is one . They will limit planes taking off from runways that are not part of usual takeoff patterns and require more training for air traffic controllers, among other things. They will also acquire a simulator representing Logan's runways and taxiways. Nov 23, 2005 Bird flu bird flu: see influenza. bird flu or avian influenza viral respiratory disease, mainly of birds including poultry and waterbirds but also transmissible to humans. fears may not be necessary. As fears of a bird flu pandemic rise, experts say a worldwide threat won't occur unless the virus gains the ability to spread easily between people, and they emphasize that it may not even happen with the current H5N1 bird flu strain. World Health Organization scientists say that among the three things that need to happen for a pandemic to start -- first, the existence of a new substrain of the flu virus, second, the spread to humans to cause illness, and third, the easy spread between people -- only the first two steps have occurred in Asia, and there is currently no bird flu pandemic in the world. Nov 22, 2005 CDC adds quarantine stations to prevent possible spread of bird flu: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has opened 10 new quarantine stations at entry points to the U.S. to screen people for communicable diseases communicable diseases, illnesses caused by microorganisms and transmitted from an infected person or animal to another person or animal. Some diseases are passed on by direct or indirect contact with infected persons or with their excretions. . The CDC now has officers at 17 airports on alert for travelers with the avian influenza avian influenza: see influenza. virus. The virus is not yet transmitted between people. One scientist said the chance of the flu mutating into a highly contagious human strain is relatively small, but noted the disease would spread quickly if a mutation occurs. Nov 22, 2005 Avian flu: A call for precaution, not panic: Air Transport Association President & CEO James C. May writes that while we should take the possibility of a pandemic seriously and prepare ourselves for an unlikely outbreak, there is no need to panic. Nov 22, 2005 Confiscated con·fis·cate tr.v. con·fis·cat·ed, con·fis·cat·ing, con·fis·cates 1. To seize (private property) for the public treasury. 2. To seize by or as if by authority. See Synonyms at appropriate. adj. items help state generate revenue. Oregon's State Surplus Program is selling lighters and cigarette lighters confiscated from airline passengers at security checkpoints. Items are divided into groups, bagged and then offered on eBay. In 2004, sales generated $72,000. Nov 22, 2005 Airport screener shares key aspects of the job. Airport screeners commonly find lighters, pocket knives and sharp pointed scissors scissors Cutting instrument or tool consisting of a pair of opposed metal blades that meet and cut when the handles at their ends are brought together. Modern scissors are of two types: the more usual pivoted blades have a rivet or screw connection between the cutting ends in travelers' luggage, TSA TSA See tax-sheltered annuity (TSA). screener Armand Collins says in a Q-and-A with the South Bend Tribune The South Bend Tribune is a newspaper distributed in the Michiana (Indiana, United States) region. There are five editions for distribution in South Central Michigan, Mishawaka (2 Editions), Marshall County, and the South Bend Metro area. . Collins occasionally encounters angry travelers, but says most people appreciate the screeners. Screeners must be able to lift bags weighing up to 80 pounds and pass vision, hearing and drug screening tests. Nov 22, 2005 Airline maintenance needs comprehensive oversight, DOT inspector says. The Department of Transportation's inspector general said airlines need continued oversight as they cut costs by outsourcing maintenance work. Kenneth Mead said the carriers contracted out more than half of their maintenance work in 2004. "The transition to increased use of outside repair facilities is not the issue," Mead said. "It is that maintenance, wherever it is done, requires oversight." Mead made the remarks before the Senate Aviation Subcommittee. Air Transport Association Operations and Safety Vice President Basil Barimo told the subcommittee airlines are committed to improving safety and noted air travel is safer than it has ever been. Nov 18, 2005 Airlines, international firms prepare for bird flu. Major multinational companies are preparing for a possible onslaught of avian flu, which the World Bank estimates could cost the global economy $800 billion. Precautions include providing respiratory masks for traveling executives and allowing for mass telecommuting telecommuting, an arrangement by which people work at home using a computer and telephone, transmitting work material to a business office by means of a modem and telephone lines; it is also known as telework. . Airlines were among the sectors hardest-hit by travel restrictions during the SARS outbreak and are now working to assuage as·suage tr.v. as·suaged, as·suag·ing, as·suag·es 1. To make (something burdensome or painful) less intense or severe: assuage her grief. See Synonyms at relieve. 2. premature pandemic anxiety. Nov 17, 2005 Europe's Parliament approves safety blacklist (1) A list of e-mail addresses of known spammers. See spam, spam filter, Blacklist of Internet Advertisers, greylisting and blackholing. Contrast with white list. (2) A list of Web sites that are considered off limits or dangerous. . Europe's Parliament approved on Wednesday the creation of a blacklist of airlines that do not meet safety requirements. An airline will be added to the blacklist "if there is verified evidence of serious safety deficiencies," according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a Parliament statement. Parliament will review and update the list every three months. Nov 17, 2005 Europe wants more control over operations of foreign carriers: The European Commission European Commission, branch of the governing body of the European Union (EU) invested with executive and some legislative powers. Located in Brussels, Belgium, it was founded in 1967 when the three treaty organizations comprising what was then the European Community wants to give the European Aviation Safety Agency European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is an agency of the European Union with offices in Cologne, Germany, which has been given specific regulatory and executive tasks in the field of civilian aviation safety. more authority over foreign airlines. A new proposal would allow the agency to certify the airlines and control safety compliance. The proposal needs approval by EU governments and the European Parliament European Parliament, a branch of the governing body of the European Union (EU). It convenes on a monthly basis in Strasbourg, France; most meetings of the separate parliamentary committees are held in Brussels, Belgium, and its Secretariat is located in Luxembourg. . Nov 16, 2005 EU to vote on airline blacklist. Europe's Parliament will decide this week whether to create a blacklist of carriers that fall below safety standards Safety standards are standards designed to ensure the safety of products, activities or processes, etc. They may be advisory or compulsory and are normally laid down by an advisory or regulatory body that may be either voluntary or statutory. . The lawmakers also want the European Commission to standardize the criteria that would be used to decide which airlines should be banned across the EU. Nov 14, 2005 Contractor overbilled FAA on air traffic contract. A government audit found Washington D.C.-based Crown Consulting overcharged the Federal Aviation Administration by $56,317 this year. The company was developing a program to manage air traffic, and the audit found it charged higher fees based on the qualifications of its workers. Crown declined to comment on the audit. Nov 14, 2005 DHS Official: Muslim travelers should register before they fly. Muslim travelers should register with the federal government before they fly, said Daniel Sutherland For the Officer for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, see . For the Canadian Deputy Postmaster General, see . Daniel Alexander Sutherland (April 17, 1869 – March 24, 1955), nicknamed "Fighting Dan , the head of civil rights for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Registering would reduce the chances of a Muslim being stopped at an airport because their name is similar to a name on a terrorist watch list. Sutherland said DHS must listen to the concerns of Muslims and Arab-Americans, and he acknowledged that scrutiny at airport checkpoints has alienated the group. Nov 10, 2005 Customs official: U.S. focused on security. U.S. Customs and Border Protection U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a bureau of the United States Department of Homeland Security, is charged with regulating and facilitating international trade, collecting import duties, and enforcing U.S. trade laws. Commissioner Robert C. Bonner Robert C. Bonner (born in Wichita, Kansas on January 29, 1942) has been a prosecutor, federal judge, Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Bonner graduated from Georgetown Law School in 1966. told World Travel Congress attendees Monday that America's top mission is homeland security. However, he said the government has taken steps to ease the process of entering the U.S. for travelers. "We're not choking off legitimate travel. We're making it safer, but also more efficient and with less hassle. [CBP CBP competitive protein binding. ] employees are guardians, but they're also the first to welcome travelers," Bonner said. Nov 10, 2005 DHS Official: Muslim travelers should register before they fly. Muslim travelers should register with the federal government before they fly, said Daniel Sutherland, the head of civil rights for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Registering would reduce the chances of a Muslim being stopped at an airport because their name is similar to a name on a terrorist watch list. Sutherland said DHS must listen to the concerns of Muslims and Arab-Americans, and he acknowledged that scrutiny at airport checkpoints has alienated the group. Nov 10, 2005 DHS wants to restructure TSA operations. The Department of Homeland Security wants to change the structure of the Transportation Security Administration. Under legislation currently being drafted, the TSA would operate like a business and more closely resemble the Federal Aviation Administration. For example, the TSA would hire a chief operating officer Chief Operating Officer (COO) The officer of a firm responsible for day-to-day management, usually the president or an executive vice-president. to manage airport security screeners. Nov 9, 2005 Airports seek guidance for response to bird flu. Airports are unsure about what they should do to prevent a potential outbreak of avian flu. Some airport officials believe the attention the issue is receiving could put pressure on airports to react. Airports follow guidelines issued by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, which, so far, require treating bird flu as a normal flu virus. Nov 9, 2005 Customs official: U.S. focused on security. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Robert C. Bonner told World Travel Congress attendees Monday that America's top mission is homeland security. However, he said the government has taken steps to ease the process of entering the U.S. for travelers. "We're not choking off legitimate travel. We're making it safer, but also more efficient and with less hassle. [CBP] employees are guardians, but they're also the first to welcome travelers," Bonner said. Nov 9, 2005 Private firms aid in roll out of Registered Traveler systems. Verified Identity Pass is among the private companies contributing technology to the Registered Traveler systems expected to launch at airports across the country within six months, the New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times' Joe Sharkey writes. The company will offer a card that will let travelers pass through airport checkpoints faster and avoid pat-downs. The card costs $79.95 a year Nov 8, 2005 European airlines want to ease screening process. The Air Transport Association has cosigned a letter with the Association of European Airlines The Association of European Airlines (AEA) includes 31 European airlines. The aim of the association is to represent the airlines within the European Union and other international bodies. A total of 346,475,239 passengers travelled on these airlines in 2005. asking the White House to streamline the pre-flight screening process for passengers bound for the U.S., ATA spokeswoman Victoria Day said. The AEA AEA Atomic Energy Authority AEA n abbr (BRIT) (= Atomic Energy Authority) → consejo de energía nuclear; (BRIT) (SCOL) (= Advanced Extension Award) → also said a proposal to submit passenger manifests an hour before departure would create gridlock Gridlock A government, business or institution's inability to function at a normal level due either to complex or conflicting procedures within the administrative framework or to impending change in the business. and huge costs. Nov 4, 2005 Flu may prompt travel restrictions. Federal plans released Wednesday indicate that if a bird flu, or another type of flu strain, pandemic breaks out, the U.S. may impose travel restrictions. Airline officials said they are continuing to work with the Air Transport Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in reaction to details of the plan. The H5N1 strain, or Asian bird flu, has not been reported in the U.S. Nov 3, 2005 Lawmakers urge Whites House to find alternatives to laser jammers. Some lawmakers believe Raytheon's Vigilant Eagle ground-based high-power microwave system is a possible alternative to using laser jammers to protect commercial airliners from missile attack. Congress has asked the White House to invest in alternatives to the jammers. The first laser-based directed infrared countermeasures installed on airliners are starting flight tests this week. The systems were built by Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. Nov 3, 2005 Airlines work with CDC to prevent spread of bird flu. Airlines are working with authorities to prevent a possible bird flu pandemic. "The airlines are part of the overall surveillance network. We have a history of working with CDC to identify passengers who might be ill," said Katherine Andrus, assistant general counsel for the Air Transport Association. Nov 2, 2005 Bush reveals bird flu plans. President George W. Bush this morning announced the country will spend $7.1 billion to improve vaccines and build up supplies of antiviral drugs Antiviral Drugs Definition Antiviral drugs are medicines that cure or control virus infections. Purpose Antivirals are used to treat infections caused by viruses. to combat a potential bird flu pandemic. "If a pandemic strikes, our country must have a surge capacity in place that will allow us to bring a new vaccine online quickly and manufacture enough to immunize im·mu·nize v. 1. To render immune. 2. To produce immunity in, as by inoculation. im every American against the pandemic strain," Bush said. Nov 1, 2005 Airport screeners probe murky images for threats. Security screeners at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport “PHX” redirects here. For other uses, see PHX (disambiguation). Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (IATA: PHX, ICAO: KPHX, FAA LID: PHX stare at black and white images on computer monitors, trying to determine whether a traveler is carrying a banned item. The screeners earn $32,000 on average, and workers need three hours of weekly training. Some of airport's 1,000 screeners analyze checked bags, while others focus on searching passengers. Nov 1, 2005 Boeing, Airbus work on air traffic modernization effort. Boeing and Airbus have set six goals to help improve and modernize the air traffic control system. They have formed teams to work on navigation performance, air-to-ground communications, ground-based landing systems, airborne separation assistance programs, risk assessment for air traffic control systems, and the exchange of 4D trajectories. They are using a common approach so planes built by Boeing and Airbus can use the same avionics worldwide. Nov 30, 2005 Some officials criticize Chicago's plan to use D/FW D/FW Dallas Fort Worth as model. Chicago's plan for a $15 billion expansion and redesign of O'Hare International Airport O'Hare International Airport is an airport located in Chicago, Illinois, United States, 17 miles (27 km) northwest of the Chicago Loop. It is the largest hub of United Airlines (whose headquarters is in downtown Chicago) and the second-largest hub of American Airlines (after contains major flaws, Federal Aviation Administration officials and air traffic controllers say. Chicago airport officials are using the Dallas/Fort Worth airport as a model for the future O'Hare. However, the FAA points out the Dallas airport is three times the size of O'Hare. Also, O'Hare does not have room for adding perimeter taxiways, which is a major part of the Dallas redesign. Nov 21, 2005 Government to lift ban on penknives, scissors. The federal government is preparing new rules that would roll back some post-Sept. 11 prohibitions that many aviation experts say slow security lines and are no longer needed to protect aircraft, such as the ban on penknives and scissors. "If it's a more targeted list, that's all the better for security as a whole," Air Transport Association spokeswoman Victoria Day said. Nov 3, 2005 Homeland Security must improve planning. Lawmakers must empower the Department of Homeland Security to work and plan more effectively, the Dallas Morning News editorial board writes. Recent media reports show DHS has missed deadlines for planning ways to protect airlines, ships and railroads from terrorist attacks. The newspaper believes low morale within the department and extensive debriefing de·brief·ing n. 1. The act or process of debriefing or of being debriefed. 2. The information imparted during the process of being debriefed. Noun 1. requirements have contributed to the problem. Nov 2, 2005 Los Angeles commission may hire firm to improve airport security. The Los Angeles Airport Commission may hire Rand Corp. to make the Los Angeles International Airport “LAX” redirects here. For other uses, see LAX (disambiguation). “KLAX” redirects here. For other uses, see KLAX (disambiguation). Los Angeles International Airport (IATA: LAX, ICAO: KLAX, FAA LID: LAX more secure. Rand would work with the Transportation Security Administration to shorten lines at security checkpoints. A report to the commission by airport staff encouraged the commission to award the $900,000 contract to Rand. A study by Rand more than a year ago found travelers on LAX's sidewalks and in its lobbies at risk from bombs. Nov 7, 2005 Millions of fliers expected over Thanksgiving holiday. U.S. airlines will carry 21.7 million travelers this Thanksgiving. Air Transport Association Chief Executive Officer and President James May said carriers have worked with the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration to ensure air travel is safe and convenient during the holiday season. Nov 10, 2005 New system will lower the chances of runway incidents, FAA says. The Federal Aviation Administration will start installing a new system in January that will lower the chances of runway and taxiway taxiway: see airport. collisions. The system will help air traffic controllers spot collisions during poor weather and at night. The Air Transport Association said it supports the new system and believes it could improve safety. Nov 3, 2005 Northrop, BAE test airliner missile defense systems. BAE Systems and Northrop Grumman last week tested systems that could defend airliners from shoulder-fired missiles. The systems use lasers to jam incoming missiles. Airlines are concerned about cost and maintenance of the systems, said John Meanen, executive vice president of the Air Transport Association. Nov 14, 2005 FAA finds Northwest met safety standards during walkout. The Federal Aviation Administration found Northwest Airlines met safety standards in September when its mechanics were on strike. The FAA also found some allegations were valid, and it prompted Northwest to comply with guidelines. The FAA said it will look into further allegations of maintenance violations raised in October by the Department of Transportation. Nov 17, 2005 NTSB NTSB abbr. National Transportation Safety Board : New technology needed to prevent collisions. Airports need new technology to reduce the number of near collisions, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. More than 324 near misses occurred in the year ended Sept. 30. "While the majority of incursions present little to no collision risk, a significant number of high-risk incidents continue to occur," said Sandy Rowlett, a deputy safety board operations chief. "There is an urgent need to reduce the hazard presented to the public by these events.". Firm develops shoe scanner for airport security. Quantum Magnetics has developed a scanner that can detect explosives without travelers having to remove their shoes. Quantum is based in Newark, Calif., and is a unit of GE Security. A traveler steps into the scanner and places her feet on the shoe-shaped pads. The device then uses magnetic fields magnetic fields, n.pl the spaces in which magnetic forces are detectable; created by magnetostrictive ultrasonic scalers to cause the tips of instruments such as ultrasonic scalers to vibrate. to scan for explosives and other threatening objects. Airport officials say it could take years before scanners appear in airports. Nov 16, 2005 Retrofits aimed at reducing chances of fuel-tank explosion, FAA says. New Federal Aviation Administration proposals would require airlines to install devices on their jetliners that would lower the risk of fuel-tank explosions. The requirements would cost airlines $315 million over seven years. Major carriers were consulted about the changes and expected the new requirements, according to the Air Transport Association. Nov 15, 2005 Runway construction contributes to safety issues at Logan, FAA's Blakey says. The construction of a new runway at Logan International Airport is distracting pilots and contributing to the increasing number of runway incidents, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Some pilots have accidentally crossed into runways used by other planes, FAA Administrator Marion Blakey said. Blakey said the FAA and the Massachusetts Port Authority are improving markings and adding flashing lights to better direct pilots. Nov 18, 2005 Seattle airport's taxiway creates confusion, controversy. Experienced pilots have mistaken a taxiway for an active runway at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (IATA: SEA, ICAO: KSEA, FAA LID: SEA), also known as Sea-Tac Airport, is located in SeaTac, Washington, United States at the intersections of Washington State Route 518, Washington State Route 99 and eight times since 1999. One plane actually landed on the taxiway. The National Transportation Safety Board has warned that the confusion could eventually cause a collision. Officials from the airport the Federal Aviation Administration say they have fixed the problem by educating pilots and making the runways more visible. Nov 15, 2005 State of airline industry a cause for safety concerns. Despite the airline industry's "enviable record for safety," travelers should be aware of the impact financial troubles, maintenance outsourcing, and lagging government oversight could have on the safety of air travel, USA TODAY writes in this editorial. Nov 29, 2005 The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting a two-day course that details how the NTSB investigates major aircraft accidents and what it expects of participants in an investigation. Aviation Industry Training for Airline Professionals will be held on December 1-2 at NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C. Nov 3, 2005 Travel industry calmly prepares for avian flu. The travel industry is preparing for the possibility of avian flu mutating into a strain that could be transmitted between people, but it is asking travelers not to panic. In 2003, the SARS epidemic spurred a sharp drop in travel even though the disease was limited to Asia and Canada. Katherine Andrus, an Air Transport Association attorney, said the avian flu is not an immediate threat, and noted that the ATA does not expect travelers to change their plans. Nov 21, 2005 Travelers should take precautions for avian flu without panicking: Airlines and travelers should take the possibility of an avian flu outbreak Avian flu outbreak may refer to an infection in:
TSA develops new technology to tighten security. The Transportation Security Administration is under pressure to improve security-screening technology. Its projects, which include new technology that scans bottles and shoes for bombs, are in early development stages and may not be used for years. The TSA is also working to improve luggage-screening technology and has awarded $10 million to companies working on new systems. Nov 8, 2005 TSA examines ways to speed fliers through security. The federal government is developing ways to speed frequent fliers through airport security screening checkpoints. The Transportation Security Administration is still evaluating a program that allows travelers who go through extensive background checks to move faster through security. The Air Transport Association said the program has great potential, but noted the TSA should identify how the program benefits travelers. Nov 3, 2005 TSA has not assessed air cargo security. The Transportation Security Administration has not yet assessed the air cargo security system and has no schedule to do so, according to a Government Accountability Office The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is the audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of the United States Congress, and thus an agency in the Legislative Branch of the United States Government. report. The report said the TSA cannot adequately protect planes that carry cargo until it is aware of weaknesses in the security system. The TSA does not collect information on many registered companies that ship goods on passenger airliners. A TSA spokeswoman said the agency has increased the number of required cargo inspections and is testing new security technology. Nov 16, 2005 TSA plan would allow sharp objects in carry-on bags. Travelers may soon be able to bring sharp objects such as scissors in their carry-on bags under a new plan by the Transportation Security Administration, the Washington Post reported, quoting unnamed sources. The TSA will announce the plan Friday. A TSA spokeswoman would not comment on the details but said the TSA will announce "a number of new initiatives that will have both a positive security and customer service impact." Nov 30, 2005 TSA to launch nationwide Registered Traveler program in June. The Transportation Security Administration will roll out the Registered Traveler program at airports across the U.S. in June. The program allows frequent fliers who agree to an extensive background check to speed through security lines. Airports would use private firms to conduct background checks and register travelers. Critics of the program say it may weaken security and violate the privacy of travelers. Nov 4, 2005 Virgin Atlantic orders stockpile of bird flu drug. Virgin Atlantic Airways wants to be prepared for a possible human outbreak of bird flu and has ordered a stockpile of the antiviral drug Tamiflu. The airline called the move "a purely precautionary measure." It is monitoring the spread of avian flu and is communicating with U.K. and U.S. officials. The airline does not fly to any of the four countries currently reporting human outbreaks. Nov 4, 2005 
Unless the GOVT.stop entrfearing in AVSEC.the threats will never stop,the most important element this regards a full support to the C A Authoreties to inable the air lines to implement HSM inorder to inhance detection of threats.
1 complaint(s) reported. Report abuse |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion